A project based on a multiplier effect

At the heart of this project was a clear goal: to turn the participants into true ambassadors of European citizenship. Beyond their own training, they were encouraged to share their knowledge, spark discussion, and promote European values among their peers.

The project was structured around three main objectives:

• To strengthen the knowledge and skills of more than 200 French-speaking young people so that they could become active and engaged European citizens;
• To raise awareness among a broader audience, with a particular focus on young people who are distanced from European issues and those with fewer opportunities;
• To equip young people with the tools and skills needed to become multipliers among their peers.

A theatre play about the European Union

The Academy’s students co-wrote, directed, and performed a play exploring the values, workings, and challenges of the European Union. Titled “Delors in Our Hands: The Architect’s Torch,” the play was intended to pay tribute to Jacques Delors and his vision for Europe on the occasion of the centennial of his birth. Performed during the 2025 Jacques Delors Conference, it was a great success and engaged both the Academy’s students and director Julien Avril. This artistic approach helped make European issues more tangible, accessible, and engaging.

School-based interventions

Participants had the opportunity to work alongside members of the Academy’s team with high school and middle school students to raise their awareness of the EU, how it works, and its role in our daily lives. In total, 50 sessions involving several hundred students have been held in France since early 2025. These sessions also aimed to reach many young people who are sometimes distanced from European issues, particularly those from schools located in priority education networks (REP).

These sessions did not take the form of lectures: conducted in partnership with Jeunes Européens association, they drew on popular education methods to make high school students the primary agents of their own learning. Divided into teams, the participants worked together to complete the various activities, exchanged ideas, and collaboratively developed answers, thereby fostering active participation throughout the session.

Citizens’ Climate Convention

The young people had the opportunity to participate in a Citizens’ Climate Convention, organized by Académie Notre Europe! Divided into thematic groups focusing on the following topics, housing, food, transportation, and energy production, the young people were guided and assisted by a peer who had prepared in advance a document containing key information and data to help steer the discussions. The discussions focused on the method and type of proposal to be made: Is it a directive? A regulation? A recommendation? Does the proposal fall under European jurisdiction or not? Who is the target audience?

The young people not only developed their skills in exchanging ideas, discussing, and negotiating on a climate-related topic but also refined their thinking and knowledge regarding how to submit their proposals to European institutions and policymakers.

A Simulation of the European Institutions

A simulation of how the European Union’s institutions work was organized for disadvantaged audiences, in partnership with Cité des Chances. This activity gave participants a hands-on look at European decision-making processes and helped them better understand their impact on daily life.

Webinars featuring European decision-makers and awareness-raising content

Four webinars brought together political and institutional leaders to discuss major current European issues. These discussions gave young people the opportunity to engage directly with stakeholders involved in European integration.

Participants also created and shared more than a dozen pieces of content (videos, infographics, and social media posts) to make the European Union’s policies and actions more accessible to the general public.